Department for Communities and Local Government

Council Housing: City of Westminster

Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the written submission from the Department for Communities and Local Government to the Supreme Court in support of Titian Nzolameso’s appeal against Westminster City Council’s decision to offer her accommodation near Milton Keynes.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: I am placing a copy of the Department for Communities and Local Government’s written submission in the case of Nzolameso v City of Westminster in the Library of the House. The Department's submission reflects our long-standing policy practice and guidance. We await the full judgment on this specific case.

Homelessness

Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will resume the publication of homelessness statistical "live table" 783 giving details of the number of homeless households in each type of temporary accommodation by region.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement on 18 September 2012, Official Report, column 32WS, the Department no longer publishes statistics at a regional level. This follows the abolition of regional government by the Coalition, which does not believe that regions provide a coherent or meaningful framework for assessing public policy. Instead, our published statistics present, where relevant, other sub-national geographies which are more aligned with public policy. This Government is committed to preventing and tackling homelessness. We have increased homelessness prevention spending, making over £500 million available since 2010 to local authorities and the voluntary sector to help the most vulnerable in society. Homelessness remains lower than in 26 of the last 30 years. It is around half the average level it was under the previous Administration.

Travellers: Caravan Sites

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they began the administrative review of the recovery decisions involving Traveller sites in the Green Belt; what criteria are being applied for the review; and when the review is likely to be published.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: This Government continues to attach great importance to safeguarding the Green Belt. It will address concerns about the harm caused when there is unauthorised development of land in advance of obtaining planning permission and there is no opportunity to appropriately limit or mitigate the harm that has already taken place. For these reasons, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government will introduce a new planning and recovery policy for the Green Belt early in the new Parliament to strength protection against unauthorised development. This new policy will apply to all development within the Green Belt. In the meantime he has also decided to de-recover those cases of appeals for Traveller development in the Green Belt on which a substantive decision has not been reached. These will be remitted back to the Planning Inspectorate and, where appropriate, we will re-assess them in light of the new recovery policy.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

India

Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Hindutva, a fundamentalist set of movements advocating Hindu nationalism in India, and its effects on religious and national minorities there.

Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the position of the government of India in respect of campaigns in that country to convert non-Hindus to Hinduism; and what is their assessment of the impact of such action on religious minorities in that country.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are aware of the Hindutva movement, a form of Hindu nationalism in India. However, the Constitution of India guarantees freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practice and propagate religion. The Indian government has a range of policies and programmes to support religious minorities. More recently, Prime Minister Modi reassured religious groups that every citizen has the right to follow any faith without coercion and vowed to protect all religious groups in India. However, we are aware that incidents of discrimination against minority communities do happen. British Ministers and officials from our High Commission in New Delhi discuss religious and minority issues with the Indian National Commission for Minorities and senior faith leaders. Most recently Minister of State at the Home Office with responsibility for Crime Prevention, my right Hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Lynne Featherstone), met the Indian Minister for Minorities in January. During their visit to India in February, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association also met the Indian Minister for Minorities and discussed religious freedom. We will continue to maintain a dialogue with the new Indian government about religious and minority rights issues.

India

Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the treatment by the government of India of Muslims, Sikhs and Christians in that country and its impact on the cohesiveness of that country.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Constitution of India guarantees freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practice and propagate religion. The Indian government has a range of policies and programmes to support religious minorities. More recently, Prime Minister Modi reassured religious groups that every citizen has the right to follow any faith without coercion and vowed to protect all religious groups in India. However, we are aware that incidents of discrimination against minority communities do happen. British Ministers and officials from our High Commission in New Delhi discuss religious and minority issues with the Indian National Commission for Minorities and senior faith leaders. Most recently Minister of State at the Home Office with responsibility for Crime Prevention, my right Hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Lynne Featherstone), met the Indian Minister for Minorities in January. During their visit to India in February, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association also met the Indian Minister for Minorities and discussed religious freedom. We will continue to maintain a dialogue with the new Indian government about religious and minority rights issues.

India

Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of India’s claim to a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council and the effect of the claim on the stability of South Asia.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The British Government’s position is well known. We support a permanent seat on the UN Security Council (UNSC) for India. India’s most recent tenure as a non-permanent member of the UNSC ended in December 2012. We want to continue to engage with India, and other partners in the region, on the full range of UN issues. However, we have been clear that reform of the Council must not reduce its capacity to address threats to international peace and security.

Sudan

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the European Union and African Union about violence in Sudan, basic freedoms there, the promotion of national dialogue, peace talks and the formation of a transitional government, and the case for postponing Sudan’s forthcoming election until those other issues are addressed.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We regularly discuss human rights, peace talks, National Dialogue and elections as part of our dialogue with our EU colleagues and the EU Special Representative for the Horn of Africa. On 7 February 2015, a joint EU statement collectively called for the immediate release of all political detainees and expressed the EU's commitment to freedom of expression and political participation. We continue to engage with the African Union, in particular with the Chair of the African Union High-level Implementation Panel, President Mbeki, and his work to mediate agreements on both the Darfur and Two Areas conflicts that would end fighting, allow humanitarian access, and pave the way for a comprehensive and inclusive National Dialogue process.

Zimbabwe

Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they support the view expressed by the European Union Ambassador to Zimbabwe in February that "we have a true partnership" with the current government of Zimbabwe; and if not, what action they have taken to register their concern about those comments.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The EU does not have an Ambassador to Zimbabwe but does have a Head of Delegation. In a press statement on 16 February, the Head of the EU Delegation to Zimbabwe said: "Today, with the signature of the National Indicative Programme, we have made an important step in our cooperation with Zimbabwe. We look forward to work in all the strategic and important areas covered by this National Indicative Programme, with the aim to foster the political and economic reforms Zimbabwe is undertaking." In a separate interview and, we believe, speaking more conceptually about relationships rather than specifically about the current EU-Zimbabwe relationship, he is quoted as saying, "In a true partnership among equals, we may sometimes diverge in opinion and vision. But those divergences can be overcome through real, frank and open dialogue without taboos." We agree that reforms are necessary in Zimbabwe and that frank discussion should help their delivery.

South Sudan

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Intergovernmental Authority on Development remains the key process for political dialogue in South Sudan; and what recent diplomatic efforts the United Kingdom has made towards achieving a peaceful settlement through the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and other organisations.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK continues to support the Intergovernmental Authority on Development’s (IGAD) efforts to end the crisis in South Sudan. The UK has provided financial, expertise and political support to IGAD through diplomatic engagement as part of the Troika (UK, US and Norway).

South Sudan

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made towards peace and reconciliation through the churches and specialised voluntary agencies in South Sudan; and what plans there are for the United Kingdom to support those initiatives.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Church leaders in South Sudan are influential and have played an important role in reconciliation efforts to date. They will have a key part to play in future national reconciliation processes. The UK is engaging with different reconciliation mechanisms as well as funding technical support.

South Sudan

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what contributions the United Kingdom will make to the encouragement of civil society and cultural exchanges to help restore confidence in South Sudan during 2015.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK has consistently emphasised the importance of inclusivity in South Sudan’s peace process. We will continue to engage with civil society and faith leaders to ensure their voices are heard in the peace talks.

Sudan

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the current status of the National Dialogue in Sudan; and what plans they have for the United Kingdom to contribute more to the democratic process there through the voluntary sector.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are deeply disappointed with the lack of progress on National Dialogue in Sudan since it was announced by the President in January 2014. National dialogue, if genuine, inclusive and comprehensive, offers the best hope for the Sudanese parties to secure peace for their country. We welcome recent pledges by the Government of Sudan and Sudanese opposition groups to participate in a “pre-dialogue” meeting.We continue to support the voluntary sector. Our Embassy in Khartoum is working to strengthen the democratic environment by increasing our work with civil society.

Zimbabwe

Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what meetings were held between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and United Kingdom civil society organisations regarding Zimbabwe in 2014; and what further meetings they have planned.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials regularly met civil society organisations and individual human rights defenders both in the UK and in Zimbabwe throughout 2014. They will continue to meet organisations on a regular basis to discuss and share views on the situation in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe

Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many grants there were for support for work on Zimbabwe from the Human Rights and Democracy Fund in 2014–15.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: There were no grants from the Human Rights and Democracy Programme (HRDP) for work in Zimbabwe in 2014-15. This reflects both the highly competitive nature of the global fund, and the extent to which the bids submitted in that period met the UK’s criteria.

Pakistan

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they plan to take to encourage the government of Pakistan to ensure the protection of Christian and other religious minorities in that country.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We remain deeply concerned by the violent persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan and continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to protect the human rights of all its citizens as laid down in the Pakistan Constitution and take concrete action to deliver on commitments to protect minorities.On 15 March the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), joined our High Commissioner in Islamabad in condemning the most recent attack on Christians in Lahore. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), discussed Pakistan’s misuse of the blasphemy laws with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in November 2014. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office monitors religious freedom in Pakistan in its annual Human Rights report, published on 12 March.

Ilois: Resettlement

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they will meet commitments made before the 2010 election to arrive at a just and fair settlement of the issue of the exile of the Chagos Islanders in the light of the award of 18 March by the Arbitral Tribunal constituted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in the case of Chagos Marine Protected Area Arbitration (Mauritius v. United Kingdom), and the conclusion by the KPMG report commissioned by the then Foreign Secretary that return by the islanders is feasible.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: I refer the noble Lord to the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 24 March on Progress in reviewing policy on resettlement of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), (HLWS440). In relation to the Arbitral Tribunal, it remains the case that there is no question about the UK’s sovereignty of BIOT and we have always maintained that the Marine Protected Area is not a bar to resettlement.

Easter Rising

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have for Easter 2016 to recognise the Irish Republican Easter Rising against the United Kingdom.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Planning for the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising is a matter for the Irish government. We are aware that on 30 March 2015 the Irish Government will launch its formal programme of events to mark the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising. The positive dialogue that exists between the UK and Irish governments will continue as detailed plans for 2016 take shape.The British Government is committed to working closely with the Irish government during the decade of centenary commemorations of 1912-1922 to promote a greater understanding of our shared history, and to do so in the spirit of mutual respect, reconciliation and historical accuracy.

Burundi

Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the security, political and human rights situations in Burundi ahead of the forthcoming general elections planned for May and June.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Since the end of the civil war in 2005, Burundi has made limited progress towards becoming a more stable democracy. Burundi remains a fragile post-conflict country, with a government that consistently uses the media and justice system to repress political opposition. There have been increasing reports of politically motivated violence, including extrajudicial killings. This political violence threatens regional stability, and could lead to population displacement into Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Burundi was included as a case study on political violence in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Human Rights and Democracy Report 2014.We continue to use our influence in the UN and in the EU to keep Burundi on the international community’s agenda. We believe that maintaining the spirit of the Arusha peace accords is vital: compromise, reconciliation and dialogue are essential if we are to have an electoral process which is inclusive, peaceful and transparent.

Burundi

Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will support the organisation of a European Union Electoral Observation Mission in Burundi ahead of and during the general elections of May and June.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The EU will deploy an electoral observation mission from April 2015. The EU's support for the electoral process, through both the presence of this observation mission and the provision of financial assistance, is contingent on the electoral process being inclusive, transparent, and open to all political parties and actors in a fair manner. The UK supports this approach.

Burundi

Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Burundi in relation to (1) the prosecution of members of the Movement for Solidarity and Democracy following protests last year, and (2) the human rights of opposition group members there.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We continue to raise our concerns about the diminishing political space and use of political violence during regular exchanges with the Burundian government. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge), did so during a meeting with the Burundian Foreign Minister in September 2014. We have also joined EU partners in expressing our concerns publicly, most recently in the form of March EU Council Conclusions on Burundi. We were involved in the successful campaigns for the release of imprisoned activists such as Pierre Claver Mbonimpa and Bob Rugurika. Officials met Mbonimpa in his offices shortly after his release in October 2014. Our Ambassador to Burundi visited Rugurika in prison on 12 February 2015. Both meetings were publicised on social media channels to demonstrate our support for the activists and their work.

Armed Conflict: Interpreters

Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have plans to support a United Nations Convention or similar instrument to protect interpreters and translators working in conflict zones.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We have noted the call by the International Federation of Translators and other non-governmental organisations for a UN Convention or international safety document for the protection of translators and interpreters, but as yet no concrete proposals have been made as to how this would work in practice. There already exists an extensive body of international conventions, such as the Geneva Conventions, to support employees working in the field with the military or on diplomatic missions, and it is not clear that a new convention would add materially to the protection already afforded.

*No heading*

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of the proximity of Tunisia and Lebanon to conflicts in Libya and Syria and the role of those states in hosting refugees, they intend to give priority for aid and investment to those states, in the context of the European Fund for Strategic Investments, the European Union Regional Strategy for Syria, the European Union–Tunisia Action Plan and existing association agreements.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Lebanon and Tunisia are important partners and both the EU and the UK are committed to supporting them in addressing the problems stemming from crises in neighbouring countries. The UK has contributed over £190 million to support refugee and host communities in Lebanon since the Syria crisis began. In Tunisia we have committed £22 million to support political and economic development since the revolution in 2011. Both countries receive significant EU funding. Tunisia has been allocated up to €886 million from the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) for 2014-2020, and €16 million from the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), the Instrument Contributing to Stability and Peace (IcSP), the Non State Actors programme, the Civil Society Facility and ENI thematic instruments. Lebanon has an allocation of up to €385 million from the ENI for 2014-2020. In addition, Lebanon has been allocated a further €449.4 million in support from both the ENI and the IcSP to help it respond to the effects of the crisis in Syria. The Directorate General of the European Commission for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection is also providing €172.3 million for humanitarian assistance in Lebanon, with the EIDHR providing €2.4m for 2014-2017. Both countries can also benefit from long-term loans and risk capital facilities, provided and managed by the European Investment Bank.

Attorney General

Serious Fraud Office

Lord Morris of Aberavon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the performance of the Serious Fraud Office.

Lord Wallace of Tankerness: The current Director has returned the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) to its original role and purpose of tackling the topmost tier of fraud, bribery and corruption cases with a greater emphasis on those that harm the UK’s reputation as a safe place to do business. The follow-up report to the 2012 inspection carried out by Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate was published in November 2014. It provides a snapshot of the SFO in 2013 and made clear that a “considerable amount of work had been done” to address the recommendations of the inspection, and that “There has been genuine commitment from managers and staff alike to review and update processes and structures and to improve every aspect of case handling, from intelligence gathering and analysis, to casework management and disclosure handling”.

Sexual Offences: Prosecutions

Lord Morris of Aberavon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the performance of the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to prosecutions of high profile sex abuse cases, and (2) the financial resources available to the Crown Prosecution Service to carry out such prosecutions; and what, if any, plans the Crown Prosecution Service has to amend its procedures and practices in relation to such prosecutions.

Lord Wallace of Tankerness: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) considers all cases that are referred by investigators according to the same test, as set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors. In 2013/14, the CPS prosecuted 12,445 sexual offence cases, of which 9,104 resulted in a conviction, a conviction rate of 73.2%. This was an increase on the previous year when the conviction rate was 72.4% . In order to ensure that there are sufficient resources to prosecute sexual offence cases, the CPS continues to work closely with Her Majesty’s Treasury and criminal justice system partners to analyse and manage the impact of increasing volumes. This is in addition to a range of activity to further prioritise sexual offence cases such as the establishment of Rape and Serious Sexual Offence (RASSO) Units in every region and the publication of legal guidance to further support effective prosecutions.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Students: Loans

Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is (1) the amount, and (2) the proportion, of debt incurred under the current student loan scheme which they estimate will not be repaid and will have to be written off.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: I refer the noble Lord to the replies given by my Rt Hon Friend the Member for Havant (David Willetts) on 31 March 2014 to Questions 193225 and 193350.

Students: Loans

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of loans under the student loan scheme on the availability of mortgage finance for first time buyers.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Council for Mortgage Lenders advises that having a student loan will not affect a borrower’s eligibility to be considered for a mortgage.

Reports on Payments to Governments Regulations 2014

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to listen to the views of civil society before endorsing any guidance from United Kingdom extractives industry companies on the Reports on Payments to Governments Regulations 2014.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: We listen to the views of all stakeholders. As well as replying to correspondence from civil society on this matter, the Minister listened to views during a conference call with representatives from the Publish What You Pay coalition this week. Officials met civil society representatives on four occasions to hear views on industry guidance and considered a number of written representations, including a copy of the Publish What You Pay response to the public consultation exercise undertaken by industry associations.

Ministry of Justice

Women's Centres

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much (1) capital, and (2) revenue, funding has been allocated to women's centres, in each of the last five years.

Lord Faulks: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

The Lord Chairman of Committees

Select Committees

Lord Howell of Guildford: To ask the Chairman of Committees, following the debate in the House on 12 March on the Liaison Committee’s report (HL Deb, cols. 763–71), when the House will have an opportunity to consider the establishment of an International Relations Committee for the parliamentary session 2016–17 onwards.

Lord Sewel: The Liaison Committee will undertake its usual review of Select Committee activity across the Parliament when it meets early in June. As part of that review, I will invite the Committee to consider how best to seek the views of Members on the future shape of Select Committee activity. This will lead to a Report to the House.

House of Lords: Catering

Lord Storey: To ask the Chairman of Committees, further to his Written Answer on 12 March (HL5250), whether the entire sum of gratuities paid by Members of the House of Lords on debit and credit cards is shared amongst members of catering staff; or whether any is kept by the House of Lords administration for organisational costs.

Lord Sewel: My original reply set out national insurance and income tax deductions made from all gratuities. In addition, a 3% card commission deduction is made from table gratuities paid using credit and debit cards. This will be reviewed.

Ministry of Defence

Aircraft Carriers

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Astor of Hever on 23 March (HL5737), how many years at sea in aircraft carriers the Head of Carrier Enabled Power Projection has served; and how many years at sea, in aircraft-carrying warships, the Senior Responsible Owners for the Carrier and F35B projects have served.

Lord Astor of Hever: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Department for Work and Pensions

Personal Independence Payment

Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the target time in which the Department for Work and Pensions aims to process mandatory reconsiderations for Personal Independence Payment applications.

Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the average clearance time for Personal Independence Payment mandatory reconsiderations.

Lord Freud: The Department for Work and Pensions does not have a clearance time target nor does it have information about average clearance times. It plans to introduce a clearance time target for all benefits, starting with ESA from April 2016. It plans to incorporate information on mandatory reconsideration clearance times into the relevant existing regular statistical publications. However, before decisions are made DWP statisticians need to make sure that the data is accurate and fit for purpose. When a decision has been made and as each publication is ready, we will pre-announce the improvements in accordance with the UKSA release protocols.

Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people were subject to benefit sanctions, preventing them receiving any form of national financial help, at the most recent date for which figures are available.

Lord Freud: Claimants who have a sanction applied could also be in receipt of other Government financial support such as Child Benefit, Child Tax Credit, Council Tax Support or Housing Benefit. Claimants who are sanctioned can also apply for hardship payments, equivalent to 60 or 80% of their benefit payment, subject to meeting the necessary criteria.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

*No heading*

Lord Skelmersdale: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, under the provisions of the Deregulation Bill, rights of way officers have a duty to persuade objectors to a footpath deregulation order agreed by a county council to correct an error in the definitive footpath map in order to prevent an appeal to the Secretary of State.

Lord De Mauley: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member

Home Office

Immigration Controls

Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Bates on 16 March (HL Deb, col 909), whether the statement that "For the calendar year of 2013, births in the UK to non-UK born mothers accounted for 25% of all live births. That is why we need to reduce immigration" was Government policy; if so, when it was announced; and by which Minister.

Lord Bates: Her Majesty's Government recognises that immigrants make a valuable contribution to the UK which is why we welcome the brightest and the best people from around the world to visit, study, or settle here. However it must be recognised that uncontrolled immigration increases the pressure on public services and can drive down wages for people on low incomes. That is why the Coalition Agreement states that ‘to ensure cohesion and protect our public services, we need to introduce a cap on immigration and reduce the number of non EU immigrants’.

Asylum: LGBT People

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps have been taken to improve the quality of asylum decision-making in sexual identity asylum claims proceeding under the Detained Fast Track process following the concerns expressed by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, John Vine, in his investigation into the Home Office’s handling of asylum claims made on the grounds of sexual orientation, published in October 2014; and what assessment they have made of the suitability of such claims for accelerated procedures.

Lord Bates: The Home Office has positively engaged with the Independent Chief Inspector’s recommendations and taken a range of actions including additional training for case working staff in the Detained Fast Track process. More detailed policy guidance was published and issued to case workers in February 2015. This guidance included: How to ask appropriate and relevant questions during asylum interviews.How to approach and consider asylum claims made on the basis of sexuality.The reasons why the Home Office no longer accepts sexually explicit material submitted in support of asylum claims. The suitability of all cases accepted in to the Detained Fast Track process is continually reviewed in accordance with published policy.

Extradition: Pakistan

Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the current status of negotiations between the United Kingdom and Pakistan over an extradition treaty.

Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the likelihood of securing an extradition treaty between the United Kingdom and Pakistan.

Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the case for an extradition treaty between the United Kingdom and Pakistan.

Lord Bates: The Government will neither confirm nor deny whether it is considering or is involved in negotiations with a particular country over an extradition treaty.The absence of a formal extradition treaty does not prevent the UK from requesting the extradition of an individual from another country. It is a matter for the law of that country whether it is able to respond to such a request.

HM Treasury

Battle of Waterloo: Commemorative Coins

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the decision by the European Council not to produce a coin commemorating the battle of Waterloo, whether they will instruct the Royal Mint to strike a special £1 coin to celebrate this British victory.

Lord Deighton: Every year, The Royal Mint issues a series of coins to mark anniversaries that reflect British history, traditions and identity. In 2015, it commemorates the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo with a UK £5 coin. The design is an interpretation of the famous painting by Daniel Maclise, which depicts the meeting of the Duke of Wellington and Blucher after the Battle of Waterloo, and which still hangs in the House of Lords today.

Pensions

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have received indications of concern from the Financial Conduct Authority about the mis-selling of annuities as a result of failure to take into account health issues; and whether they have taken into account the same risk to those converting pension balances to a lump sum.

Lord Deighton: In December 2014, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published its thematic review on non-advised annuities sales. This found evidence that firms’ sales practices were contributing to consumers potentially buying the wrong annuity for their circumstances, particularly in not buying an enhanced (higher return) annuity when they may be eligible for one, for example if they have a medical condition.   The FCA is asking firms that participated in the review to conduct further work to determine whether its findings in relation to enhanced annuities are indicative of a widespread problem. The FCA will then review this additional evidence, and will consider what action to take.   The government’s new free and impartial pensions guidance service – Pension Wise – will encourage consumers seeking to take advantage of the new pensions freedoms to properly consider their health as part of their retirement income decision. The new pension flexibilities come into force on 6 April 2015, and the FCA has announced that, from that date, firms will have to provide retirement risk warnings to consumers at the point when they have decided they wish to take a specific action and access their defined contribution pension savings. For example, where a consumer says they would like to purchase an annuity and the provider identifies that the consumer has poor health, the provider should inform the consumer that they could be eligible for a better value annuity.

Banks: EU Action

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Deighton on 16 February (HL4632) concerning European Union regulations to break up banks in the European Union, whether they or the European Commission would make the final decision when any action was proposed against United Kingdom banks; and whether Parliament would be involved in any such proposals.

Lord Deighton: In order to address the systemic risk posed by UK banks, Parliament has legislated, via the Banking Reform Act 2013 (BRA), for such action to be taken through structural separation. This Act is to be implemented by the Prudential Regulation Authority. In the context of the ongoing negotiations on the proposed EU regulation for Bank Structural Reform, the Government is working to ensure that the BRA is maintained and that any other impact on UK banks is proportionate and kept to a minimum. It is the Government’s firm belief that banks should be supervised at the national level as local supervisors are best placed to understand the specificities of the national economy and its financial stability concerns. This is a critically important dossier for all Member States, in particular given the direct application of an EU regulation.

Developing Countries: Debts Written Off

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the International Monetary Fund regarding the cancellation of debts of countries affected by infectious disease epidemics.

Lord Deighton: “The UK has played a leading role in the launch of the IMF’s new Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust earlier this year, and was the first country to publicly contribute to this. The Trust’s first role will be to provide grant aid that will be used for relief on debt service payments to the IMF for the three countries most affected by the Ebola epidemic: Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.”

Government Departments: Procurement

Baroness Seccombe: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Deighton on 9 March (HL5216), whether they will place in the Library of the House a breakdown of the 220 individual transactions in 2006–07 in the Economic Secretary to HM Treasury's departmental private office, in the light of the previous Government's response to the House of Commons Procedure Committee Report on Written Parliamentary Questions on 7 December 2009 which stated "The Ministerial Code makes it clear that Ministers should refuse to provide information which they hold only when disclosure would not be in the public interest, which should be decided in accordance with the relevant statutes and the Freedom of Information Act 2000".

Lord Deighton: I refer the noble Lady to my answer of 9 March (HL5216) on the same topic.

Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of likely changes in alcohol consumption in the United Kingdom as a result of changes to alcohol duty in the 2015 Budget.

Lord Deighton: The effect of alcohol consumption is referred to in the policy costing note on alcohol duties published at Budget 2015, available at the gov.uk website[1].[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/413895/Policy_Costings_18_00.pdf.

Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they plan to take to counter the expected increase in alcohol consumption following cuts in alcohol duty in the 2015 Budget, as implied by the HM Treasury Policy Costings calculations.

Lord Deighton: The government recognises the health and social harms associated with those who consume excess alcohol. The government has therefore taken targeted action through the alcohol duty system to encourage responsible alcohol consumption. For example, the government increased duty on super strength lager.   The Government is also taking other action to reduce alcohol related harms. This includes the creation of 20 Local Alcohol Action Areas with the aim of reducing alcohol health and crime harms by encouraging partnerships between industry, local agencies and the voluntary sector. Licensing changes have also been made to help tackle irresponsible alcohol consumption. For example, Local Councils have been given the ability to collect a Late Night Levy from alcohol retailers to contribute towards the cost of policing.

National Income

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the change in United Kingdom per capita gross domestic product that they would expect over the next five-year forecast period if net migration was at 165,000 a year.

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the practical impact on United Kingdom productivity of net migration of 165,000 per year over the next five years.

Lord Deighton: The government does not forecast either UK GDP or GDP per capita. The independent OBR in the March 2015 Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO) used the central ONS migration population projection. The ONS central migration projection is for net migration of 165,000 a year in 2018/19 and 2019/20. In the March 2015 EFO the OBR forecast that UK GDP per capita for those aged 16 and over will increase by 9.2% total between 2014 and 2019.   In order to inform policy making, the government reviews and notes the wider evidence on the economic and productivity impacts of immigration on an ongoing basis. This evidence base includes the wider academic literature, and a range of reports commissioned or produced by the government looking at specific impacts, for example those produced by the independent Migration Advisory Committee. In addition, policies that influence migration are assessed using the government's impact assessment process which models the economic impact of the policy change using assumptions based on a range of evidence and the academic literature. Home Office Impact Assessments are published on gov.uk.

Welfare Tax Credits

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much tax credit was paid to working people of low income in each of the last three full years; what is their forecast for the current and next two years; and, for each year, what proportion of recipients were in full-time work.

Lord Deighton: The total amount of Tax Credit entitlement of recipients in each of the last three tax years can be found in Table 1.   £ millionsTable 1: Total entitlement of Tax Credit recipientsYearOut-of-workIn-workAll2010-117,60620,93628,5422011-128,13821,06629,2032012-138,90319,87628,779   Figures in Table 1 are presented in £ millions, to the nearest 1 million, in line with HM Revenue and Customs publications. Breakdowns of recipients out-of-work and in-work have also been provided for context. Breakdowns of recipients in full-time employment, or otherwise, are unavailable.  2012-13 is the most recent year available for which finalised statistics have been produced.   Figures have been taken from Table 1.1 of the online publication ‘Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics: Finalised Annual Awards 2012-13’.   Figures providing total expenditure forecasts for Tax Credits in the current tax year, and the two following years can be found in Table 2.   £ billionsTable 2: Total expenditure forecasts of Tax CreditsYearAll2014-1529.72015-1629.52016-1729.8   Figures in Table 2 are presented in £ billions, to the nearest 100 million, in line with Office for Budget Responsibility publications.  Breakdowns by employment status, full-time or otherwise are unavailable. These figures are taken from the ‘March 2015 Economic and Fiscal Outlook: Fiscal Supplementary Tables’ produced by the Office for Budget Responsibility and take into consideration Tax Credits as expenditure.

Income Tax

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of people whose earnings are too low to be affected by the increase in personal tax allowances announced in the Budget are women.

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of people whose incomes are too low to be affected by the increase in personal tax allowances announced in the Budget have children.

Lord Deighton: Since 2010 this Government has lifted over three million people out of income tax.   In the income tax years 2016-17 and 2017-18, it is estimated that, for individuals aged over 16, whose income would be below the Personal Allowance before the Budget announced increases, 66% are female and 41% of those individuals have dependent children.   These estimates are derived from the results of the 2012-13 Family Resources Survey (FRS) projected forward to 2016-17 and 2017-18 using economic assumptions consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility’s March 2015 economic and fiscal outlook.

Income Tax

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what will be the net gain per pound of the increase in personal allowances announced in the Budget to a taxpayer in receipt of (1) universal credit, (2) other means-tested benefits, and (3) no means-tested benefits.

Lord Deighton: As a result of increases to the personal allowance, a typical basic rate taxpayer will be £905 a year better off in 2017-18 compared with 2010-11, in cash terms. A basic rate taxpayer who also receives universal credit will still be better off from the personal allowance increase, as will a taxpayer who receives other means-tested benefits.   Universal Credit will improve work incentives by allowing people to keep more of their income as they move into work. Universal Credit will provide a single deduction rate of 65 per cent: for each £1 increase in post-tax income, 65 pence of Universal Credit will be withdrawn.   The Government believes that increasing the personal allowance is the most effective way to support those on low and middle incomes. It enables people to keep more of the money they earn.

Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of (1) reductions in duty on cider, beer and spirits announced in this year’s Budget, and (2) the ending of the alcohol duty escalator, will have on (a) rates of alcohol consumption, and (b) burdens on the health and criminal justice systems.

Lord Deighton: The Government published its assessment of the impacts of the alcohol duty changes in the Tax Information and Impact Notes alongside the Budget document in 2013, 2014 and 2015. This information is available on the gov.uk website[1].[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tax-information-and-impact-notes-tiins

Cabinet Office

Armed Conflict: Syria

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether fresh Parliamentary approval would be needed for the United Kingdom to take any military action against ISIS inside Syria.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The Government is committed to the convention that has developed that, before troops are committed to conflict, the House of Commons should have an opportunity to debate the matter except when there was an emergency and such action would not be appropriate. That convention has been recorded in the Cabinet Manual. The Government’s commitment to it has been demonstrated by the decision to request the recall of Parliament on 26 September 2014 to debate the UK supporting the Iraqi and coalition military campaign against ISIL in Iraq, including the use of UK air strikes.  The Government is committed to the existing constitutional arrangement, which provides an effective framework by which to engage Parliament in conflict decisions. However, the Prime Minister has made clear that he would act immediately and explain to Parliament afterwards if there were ever a need to do so, such as if a critical British national interest was at stake or if there was a need to act to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.

Public Sector: Disclosure of Information

Lord Mawson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are conducting any reviews to examine any unintended consequences of the drive to create greater transparency in the public sector.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Population

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what would be the percentage increase in the population of the United Kingdom if net migration were 165,000 per year over the next five years; and what is their estimate of the cost to additional public services and associated infrastructure required to meet the needs of this additional population.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Department for Culture Media and Sport

Opera

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much funding has gone to national portfolio organisations exclusively involved in opera in the last 10 years.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: Over the past 10 years, funding outlined in the attached table has been provided to national portfolio organisations exclusively involved in 'opera'. For the purpose of this response, 'Opera' has been defined as staged music theatre productions, often with continuous music, where the music is the main dramatic driver.  



Table for PQ HL5776
(Word Document, 15.04 KB)

Gambling: Internet

Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Jolly on 4 March 2014 (HL Deb, col 1316) that the Gambling Commission was aiming to make "significant progress within six months towards the establishment of a national remote gambling exclusion scheme", what progress was made in that six-month period; what progress was made in the subsequent six-month period; and when the national remote gambling exclusion scheme will commence.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: Following a public consultation from August to October 2014, the Gambling Commission introduced a new licence condition which will require online gambling operators, other than society lottery operators who do not offer instant win games, to participate in a national online self-exclusion scheme once it is developed and available. The Commission and the Remote Gambling Association have established a Working Group, which is working through the technical, operational and legal issues that need to be resolved in order to create a robust scheme. The Commission will be publishing a briefing note shortly. A consultation will be issued this summer seeking views on the draft architecture of the scheme, its estimated cost and how the scheme should be managed and funded. Following the consultation there will be a competitive tender process for the development and running of the scheme.  As previously indicated the Commission aims to have the scheme operational by 2017.

Mobile Phones

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what compulsory purchase rights mobile telephone companies have to enable them to erect or maintain their transmitters and other equipment.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The Electronic Communications Code, set out in Schedule 2 to the Telecommunications Act 1984 and amended by the Communications Act 2003, enables electronic communications operators to place apparatus on land. Paragraph 5 offers recourse to the County Court (or the Sherriff’s Court in Scotland) for communications operators to apply for compulsory access to land subject to appropriate compensation and consideration being paid to the occupier of the land.There are also provisions in Schedule 4 to the Communications Act 2003 which allow the compulsory acquisition of land by communications operators.

Exercise

Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they have done to promote increased and sustained participation in exercise and more active lives within the adult population since the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: In February 2014, Government Ministers and the Mayor of London launched the ‘Moving more, Living more’ initiative to reduce physical inactivity as part of the legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Moving More, Living More recognises that government departments and the Mayor's teams need to work together to reduce physical inactivity, along with local authorities, the health sector, businesses and employers, and local community groups.Sport is part of the answer to reducing physical inactivity. Between 2012 and 2017, Sport England is investing over £1 billion to get more people playing sport. Currently 15.6 million people play sport regularly in England, which is an increase of 1.6 million since London won the bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2005.

UK Sport: Sport England

Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the cost savings expected for 2015 resulting from the co-location of UK Sport and Sport England.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: C​ost savings from the co-location of UK Sport and Sport England are expected to be £1.55m i​n the financial year 2015/16. ​Savings are ​made across a number of back office costs including rent, rates, service charges and reception staffing costs.

Sports: Public Participation

Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will list the participation levels in individual sports in the United Kingdom for each of the years 2005 to 2014 both in actual terms and as a percentage of the population.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The Active People Survey is the main measure of the number of people aged 16 and above taking part in sport in England. This information can be found on Sport England's interactive website at: http://activepeople.sportengland.org/

Sports: Voluntary Work

Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty’s Government on which occasions the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games volunteers have been contacted to encourage them to continue volunteering in sport, and how successful such initiatives were in 2014.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: London 2012 Games Makers have been alerted to 22 different volunteering opportunities via the Be Inspired newsletter from January 2014 to February 2015 inclusive. Examples of opportunities include volunteering with British Athletics at the Sainsbury’s 2014 Summer Series, and a chance to volunteer with England Hockey at the EuroHockey Championships in August 2015, which was promoted in the November 2014 newsletter.Join In was established in 2012,supported by government funding, to harness the goodwill generated around the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to promote sport volunteering. It works in close collaboration with Sport England, including as the provider of content around volunteering opportunities for the Sport England-owned ‘Be Inspired’ database, which includes the London 2012 volunteers and covers the opportunities to volunteer listed above.In addition to this collaboration, Join In has been successful in attracting London 2012 volunteers into its own campaigns and wider event volunteering, including directing over 2,000 Games Makers through to information on volunteering for the Tour de France Grand Depart in July 2014 and sourcing nearly 250 Games Makers to volunteer at the Richmond Running Festival (September 14).At grassroots level, Join In recruited and retained 100,000 volunteers a year in community sport for local sports clubs and other projects in 2013 and 2014. Their 2014 volunteer survey showed that a high proportion of the sample of these volunteers surveyed had previously volunteered at London 2012 (74%). In addition, around 80% of Join In Local Leaders volunteered at London 2012, citing the opportunity to be part of the legacy as a key motivating factor in their application. Over 250 of Local Leaders have been recruited by Join In to drive volunteering in local areas. Join In also administers the largest online community of London 2012 volunteers – a Facebook page with 50k subscribers.

Advertising: Children

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the report from the Mothers’ Union entitled Bye Buy Childhood, what consideration they have given to working with relevant regulators to strengthen penalties against companies which have repeatedly had complaints about their advertising upheld.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Department of Health

Meningitis: Vaccination

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the manufacturers of the Meningitis B vaccine Bexsero on behalf of all health departments within the United Kingdom.

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in any negotiations with the manufacturers of Meningitis B vaccine Bexsero; and when those negotiations are due to conclude.

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Department of Health in Northern Ireland has asked to be represented by them in discussions with the manufacturers of the meningitis B vaccine Bexsero.

Earl Howe: We have had a number of meetings with the manufacturer for supply of the meningococcal B vaccine, Bexsero® at a cost-effective price, as recommended by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, and we are continuing to meet.  The Department is conducting these negotiations on behalf of the devolved administrations, as is usual and agreed practice.

Embryos

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether human embryos have any rights or protections enshrined in United Kingdom or international law; and if so, what is the extent of those rights or protections.

Earl Howe: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, as amended, places a number of prohibitions on the use of human embryos in assisted reproduction and research.

Mental Health Services: Learning Disability

Baroness Hollins: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people with a learning disability completed talking therapy treatment through the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme in 2014–15, in the light of measures implemented by NHS England to improve uptake among that group.

Earl Howe: This information is not available in the format requested. The table below shows the number of referrals with a learning disability who finished a course of treatment in Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services, in Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 2014/15. These data are based upon a count of referrals within IAPT services, not distinct people.All referrals finishing a course of treatment Referrals with a learning disability finishing a course of treatment Quarter 2 2014/15114,6972,786Quarter 1 2014/15110,4501,187 Source: Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) Dataset   This Government has invested over £400 million over the course of this spending review to make a choice of psychological therapies available for people who need them in all parts of England; this includes people with a learning disability.   In the new five-year plan for mental health, Achieving Better Access to Mental Health Services by 2020, we freed up £80 million for 2015-16. This will, for the first time ever, enable the setting of access and waiting time standards in mental health services, including for people with mental health problems and learning disabilities. The standards will include: - treatment within six weeks for 75% of people referred to the IAPT programme, with 95% of people being treated within 18 weeks; and - treatment within two weeks for more than 50% of people experiencing a first episode of psychosis. The IAPT programme is working with the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities to update its Positive Practice Guide. The update is due later this year.

Asthma: Children

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether UK Asthma and NHS Yorkshire and Humber's Children's Asthma project will be funded into 2015–16 to deliver improvements in primary care for children with asthma.

Earl Howe: We understand that the the Local Asthma Impact Project is an initiative which took place in 2012.

Heart Diseases

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what recent steps they have taken to improve the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation.

Earl Howe: In 2014, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published updated guidelines on the management of atrial fibrillation (AF), which covers the diagnosis, assessment and treatment of the condition. NICE is also developing AF Quality Standards which it expects to publish this summer.   In addition, the NHS Health Check programme’s best practice guidance recommends that a pulse check is carried out as part of the process of taking a blood pressure reading and that individuals who are found to have an irregular pulse rhythm should be referred to their general practitioner (GP) for further investigation.   NHS Improving Quality’s (NHS IQ) is also taking action on AF. It is promoting the use of GRASP-AF (Guidance on Risk Assessment and Stroke Prevention for Atrial Fibrillation) within GP practices in England. GRASP-AF is a simple and effective audit tool developed by and trialled in the National Health Service, which greatly simplifies the process of identifying patients with AF who are not receiving the right management to help reduce their risk of stroke. NHS IQ is currently collaborating with partner organisations, including charities, to support the nationwide roll-out of GRASP-AF.   To support this work, NHS IQ recently published an analysis of the costs and benefits of using the anticoagulant drug warfarin to help prevent stroke in people with AF. A copy of this analysis is attached and can also be found at:   http://www.nhsiq.nhs.uk/media/2566750/af_economic_analysis_final.pdf 



Warfarin costs and benefits analysis
(PDF Document, 289.36 KB)

Commonwealth

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will raise the issue of the ebola outbreak and the requirement for health system strengthening in the Commonwealth at the next meeting of Commonwealth Health Ministers.

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have met the Commonwealth Secretariat, or other institutions of the Commonwealth, to discuss health system strengthening as a response to the outbreak of ebola in Sierra Leone.

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the role of the Commonwealth and its organisations in capacity-building in Commonwealth Ministries of Health and Parliaments, in the light of lessons learnt from the experience of Sierra Leone and the outbreak of ebola there.

Earl Howe: The effect of the Ebola outbreak on Universal Health Coverage will be discussed at the next Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting in May. Supporting countries to strengthen their health systems remains a top priority for the Government’s health work in West Africa and beyond.   The Government has met with the Commonwealth Foundation to discuss how civil society in Sierra Leone can be supported in tackling the Ebola crisis.   The Ebola outbreak has further demonstrated the importance of supporting countries to implement the International Health Regulations core capacities in order to detect and respond to outbreaks quickly. The Government is keen to accelerate international efforts to this end, working closely with the World Health Organization and through partnerships such as the Global Health Security Agenda. The Government sees the Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting as an opportunity for the Commonwealth Secretariat to raise awareness of the importance of health system strengthening in the Commonwealth.   The Government will work with the Government of Sierra Leone and partners to seek a legacy of effective systems and structures that will contribute to improved future service delivery and infrastructure. This will ensure that should Sierra Leone be faced with a subsequent outbreak of Ebola or other disease, it is able to respond effectively.

Liver Diseases

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that people suffering from Lysosomal Acid Lipase Deficiency and other causes of cirrhosis in children are diagnosed as soon as possible and have a suitable route to commissioning that is as streamlined and effective as possible.

Earl Howe: The UK Strategy for Rare Diseases commits all four countries of the United Kingdom to work to achieve reduced times for diagnosis of rare diseases and to work with the National Health Service and clinicians to establish appropriate diagnostic pathways which are accessible to, and understood by, professionals and patients.   NHS England commissions a highly specialised service for liver disease in children, including cirrhosis resulting from lysosomal acid lipase, from three expert centres in London, Birmingham and Leeds. These long established centres provide a clear referral pathway for expert diagnosis and management.

Meningitis: Vaccination

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the reasons for delays in introducing a vaccine against meningitis B.

Earl Howe: The introduction of the meningococcal B vaccine, Bexsero, depends on the outcome of negotiations with the manufacturer for supply at a cost-effective price, as recommended by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. We aim to conclude these negotiations as soon as possible.

Muscular Dystrophy

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the National Health Service supports people with muscular dystrophy.

Earl Howe: Through the Mandate we have asked NHS England to make measurable progress towards making our health service among the best in Europe at supporting people with long-term conditions such as muscular dystrophy, to live healthily and independently, with much better control over the care they receive.   NHS England commissions specialised neurological services at a national level, including for patients with muscular dystrophy. The neurosciences service specifications set out that patients with neuromuscular conditions, such as muscular dystrophy should have access to a multidisciplinary team (MDT) who will assess, diagnose and provide support. The MDT team will include neuromuscular consultants, neuromuscular physiotherapists, specialist nurses, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and other care professionals. One of the key service outcomes of the specification is that all patients with long-term neurological conditions have an individualised care plan.

Alcoholic Drinks

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the dates of meetings ministers and officials from the Department of Health had with (1) the Portman Group, (2) Drinkaware, (3) Diageo, (4) the Wine and Spirits Trade Association, (5) the British Beer and Pub Association, and (6) SABMiller, between 1 November 2014 and 17 March 2015.

Earl Howe: Dates of meetings attended by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health and officials from the Department:   - 5 November 2014 – Responsibility Deal alcohol network meeting, attendance included the Portman Group, Diageo, the Wine and Spirits Trade Association, the British Beer and Pub Association and SABMiller; - 18 November 2014 – Responsibility Deal Plenary Group meeting, attendance included the Portman Group; and - 3 March 2015 – The All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group reception promoting lower alcohol beers and wines. Attendance included Portman Group, the Wine and Spirits Trade Association, the British Beer and Pub Association and SABMiller.   Details of meetings held by Ministers and the Permanent Secretary with external organisations are also published quarterly in arrears and can be found at:   https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-overseas-travel-and-meetings   Dates of meetings attended by officials from the Department only:   - 14 November 2014 – Meeting with industry on the EU alcohol strategy, attendance included the Wine and Spirits Trade Association, the British Beer and Pub Association and the Portman Group; - 4 December 2014 – Drinkaware medical panel meeting; - 21 January 2015 – Meeting with the Portman Group; - 3 February 2015 – Drinkaware Board meeting; - 5 February 2015 – Meeting with the Wine and Spirits Trade Association; - 16 February 2015 – Meeting with the Portman Group; - 17 February 2015 – Meeting with the Portman Group; - 19 February 2015 – Meeting with SABMiller; - 25 February 2015 – Meeting with the Portman Group; - 26 February 2015 – Meeting with SABMiller; and - 26 February 2015 – Meeting with Drinkaware.

Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the dates of meetings ministers and officials from the Department of Health had with public health representatives to discuss the health impacts of potential cuts in alcohol duty between 1 November 2014 and 17 March 2015.

Earl Howe: Ministers and officials in the alcohol policy team meet with public health representatives and experts on a regular basis in the course of their normal activities. Discussions on the general evidence base for the impacts of changes in alcohol duty may have been raised during these meetings. There have been no discussions on specific changes in alcohol duty.